Jubilant Palestinians celebrate in the streets after winning controversial bid for statehood at UN

UN votes to recognize Palestine as a non-member state

The United Nations overwhelmingly approved the de facto recognition of a sovereign Palestinian state after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on the world body to issue its long overdue “birth certificate.”

There were 138 votes in favour, nine against and 41 abstentions to upgrade the Palestinian Authority’s status at the United Nations to “non-member observer state” from “entity.”

A Palestinian flag was quickly unfurled on the floor of the General Assembly, behind the Palestinian delegation. In the West Bank city of Ramallah, hundreds crowded into the main square waving Palestinian flags and chanting “God is great.” Others who had crowded around outdoor screens and television sets to watch the vote hugged, honked and set off fireworks before dancing in the streets.

The assembly approved the upgrade despite threats by the United States and Israel to withhold funds for the West Bank government. UN envoys said Israel might not take action as long as the Palestinians did not seek to join the International Criminal Court.

The vote helps Mr. Abbas restore some of his standing, which has been eroded by years of standstill in peace efforts.

The vote came after Mr. Abbas denounced Israel for its “aggressive policies and the perpetration of war crimes” from the UN podium, remarks that elicited a furious response from the Jewish state.

“Our people have witnessed, and continue to witness, an unprecedented intensification of military assaults, the blockade, settlement activities and ethnic cleansing, particularly in occupied east Jerusalem, and mass arrests, attacks by settlers and other practices by which this Israeli occupation is becoming synonymous with an apartheid system of colonial occupation, which institutionalizes the plague of racism and entrenches hatred and incitement,” Mr. Abbas told the assembly.

“The moment has arrived for the world to say clearly: Enough of aggression, settlements and occupation.”

He added, “Sixty-five years ago on this day, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 181, which partitioned the land of historic Palestine into two states and became the birth certificate for Israel.

“The General Assembly is called upon today to issue a birth certificate of the reality of the State of Palestine.”

“These are not the words of a man who wants peace,” Mr. Netanyahu said in a statement.

Mr. Netanyahu said the UN move violated past agreements between Israel and the Palestinians and that Israel would act accordingly, without elaborating what steps it might take.

At least 17 European nations voted in favour of the Palestinian resolution, including Austria, France, Italy, Norway and Spain. Mr. Abbas had focused his lobbying efforts on Europe, which supplies much of the aid the Palestinian Authority relies on. Britain, Germany and others chose to abstain.

The Czech Republic was unique in Europe, joining the United States, Israel, Canada, Panama and tiny Pacific Island states likes Nauru, Palau and Micronesia in voting against the move.

After the vote, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice called for the immediate resumption of peace talks.

“The Palestinian people will wake up tomorrow and find that little about their lives has changed save that the prospects of a durable peace have only receded,” she said.

“The United States calls upon both the parties to resume direct talks without preconditions on all the issues that divide them and we pledge that the United States will be there to support the parties vigorously in such efforts.”

Calling the UN vote “unfortunate and counter productive” she said, “Only through direct negotiations between the parties can the Palestinians and Israelis achieve the peace that they both deserve — two states for two peoples.”